Waukegan — Ch. 12 Human Relations § 12-27
Definitions
Operative Text
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Real estate means any building, structure or portion thereof in the city which is used or occupied, or is maintained, arranged or designed to be used or occupied as a home, residence, sleeping place of one or more persons, place of business or office, but such term shall not include rooms for rental to one or two persons in a single-family dwelling, the remainder of which is occupied by: (1) The owner or members of his immediate family; or (2) A lessee of the entire dwelling or members of his immediate family. Real estate broker means any natural person, partnership, corporation or other entity, who for consideration sells, purchases, exchanges, rents (or offers or negotiates to do any of the foregoing) real property of another. Cross reference-- Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2 .
Section 12-27 of Waukegan's Ch. 12 Human Relations article establishes the working definitions for key terms used throughout the article. Under this provision, 'real estate' broadly covers buildings and structures used or designed for residential, sleeping, or business purposes within the city, but it carves out an exception for owner-occupied or lessee-occupied single-family homes where only one or two rooms are rented out. A 'real estate broker' is defined as any individual or entity that, for compensation, engages in selling, purchasing, exchanging, renting, or negotiating such transactions involving another person's property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Waukegan should be aware that the definitions in § 12-27 determine whether their property and activities fall within the scope of the Human Relations article. Operators of multi-unit buildings or commercial spaces generally fall squarely within the 'real estate' definition, while owner-occupants of single-family homes who rent only one or two rooms to others may be outside its scope. Those who facilitate rental or sales transactions on behalf of others for compensation should also note that they may qualify as a 'real estate broker' under this section, which can carry its own obligations under the article.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants in Waukegan, § 12-27 is important because it defines which housing situations are covered by the Human Relations article's protections. If you rent in a building or structure that qualifies as 'real estate' under this section — which includes most apartments and rental homes — the broader protections of the article generally apply to your tenancy. Tenants who believe they are renting in a covered property and have concerns about their rights may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the full Ch. 12 article to understand what protections may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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